Rovers' final hopes suffer Cole setback

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Trophy springboard for Hoddle

Blackburn Rovers' record £7.5m signing, Andy Cole, could miss the Worthington Cup final after being laid low by a stomach bug. Cole missed training yesterday with a bout of gastro-enteritis and may now struggle to recover in time to face Glenn Hoddle's Tottenham in the Cardiff showpiece on Sunday.

It would be a cruel blow for Cole, who joined from Manchester United with the added attraction that he could play in a tournament ignored by Sir Alex Ferguson. He has yet to play in a Worthington Cup final in his career.

Cole's illness may mean a surprise debut for the Spanish striker Yordi, signed from Real Zaragoza only yesterday. The Blackburn manager, Graeme Souness, confirmed that the burly target man would figure at some stage. The 28-year-old has been out of favour at Zaragoza since the return of Savo Milosevic from Parma last month and the recent recovery from injury of the club's record signing, Goran Drulic.

The Turkish international Hakan Unsal is unable to play as his initial work permit application falls short of the number of caps required. His move from Galatasaray now depends on a hearing next week.

Souness said: "We thought he had his 75 per cent of appearances for Turkey, but unfortunately he hasn't quite done that, so we have to go to a hearing next Wednesday to see if we can get a work permit." The Rovers manager was, however, happy to sign Yordi.

"You will definitely see him at some stage on Sunday. He is a striker who I looked at before I bought Andy Cole," he said.

The experienced Lens midfielder Mickaël Debève is poised to seal a loan move to Middlesbrough after a successful trial spell on Teesside. Another Frenchman on the move to the Premiership is the Metz midfielder Mario Espartero, who is poised to become Bolton Wanderers' latest foreign recruit, on loan for the rest of the campaign.

Derby County's Croatian international striker Branko Strupar could return after 11 months out with injury against Leicester City tomorrow.

The Rams also could hand a debut to the Swiss goalkeeper Patrick Foletti, who is set to sign from Lucerne on a free transfer. The Derby striker Deon Burton has joined Stoke City on a month's loan.

The Leicester manager, Dave Bassett, is in talks with the Manchester City striker Paul Dickov about a £250,000 move to Filbert Street. Dickov met Bassett last night and is expected to sign today and make a surprise – if brief – step up to the top flight.

Bradford City are signing Everton's out-of-favour striker Danny Cadamarteri on loan for the rest of the season.

Michael Carrick, the 20-year-old West Ham midfielder whose World Cup hopes have been hit by injury, is targeting West Ham's home match against Manchester United on 16 March for his return following a hernia operation.

Nigeria, the World Cup group opponents of England in the summer, have announced that they will play a warm-up match against Scotland on 16 April. The game, at Hampden Park, will be the new Scotland coach Berti Vogts' first home match in charge.

The Super Eagles have also announced friendlies against a select Spanish side, on 27 March; the Netherlands on 13 May; and the Republic of Ireland at Lansdowne Road, Dublin, three days later.